Date of Award
8-2010
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Religious Studies (MARS)
Department
Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies
First Advisor
Christel J. Manning
Abstract
Yoga as both a physical activity and a spiritual practice has become an established part of Western culture. In recent years, the interest in postural forms of yoga and the philosophy from which they spring has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry; it has spawned volumes of popular histories and "how-to" books on the subject. However, scholars are only beginning to understand the true roots of modern transnational yoga (MTY) as it has developed in recent times. This thesis reviews the last two decades of scholarship in order to provide a credible explanation for MTY origins and argues that viewing yoga as a cultural commodity is the best way to explain its influence as a player in the current spiritual marketplace.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Brammer, Jon A., "Modern Transnational Yoga: A History of Spiritual Commodification" (2010). Master of Arts in Religious Studies (M.A.R.S. Theses). 29.
https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/rel_theses/29
Included in
American Popular Culture Commons, History of Religions of Eastern Origins Commons, Philosophy Commons
Comments
Master's Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Religious Studies at Sacred Heart University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Religious Studies.